


Not Quite Strangers

by JimIsKing



Category: Mr. Robot (TV)
Genre: Online Dating, Ridiculousness, tyrelliot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-15
Updated: 2015-08-15
Packaged: 2018-04-14 20:11:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4578327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JimIsKing/pseuds/JimIsKing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Elliot and Tyrell both decide to join an online dating site. Both promised themselves not to hack the other person. Just to make it feel real.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> AnimalsNotPeople → Elliot  
> Swedishfish → Tyrell
> 
> Translated into Chinese by dopeshitsugar http://dopeshitsugar.lofter.com/post/1d05f53a_a5908f6

AnimalsNotPeople: Good morning.

Swedishfish: Good morning. How are you?

AnimalsNotPeople: I'm...good, actually. I feel good today. It's strange.

Swedishfish: That's good! I'm happy for you. How's your dog? 

AnimalsNotPeople: She's great! She's happy, I think. I don't know, but she seems happy. She licks me and tries to cuddle.

Swedishfish: Awww. That sounds cute.

AnimalsNotPeople: What about you? Are you doing alright?

Swedishfish: Yeah. I'm alright. Not great. But alright. I like talking to you, though. It helps.

AnimalsNotPeople: Really? That's good. I like helping people. Good people, anyway. You seem like a good person. I don't know. I hope so.

Swedishfish: I like to think I am. But, you know... People can always be wrong.

AnimalsNotPeople: I believe you want to be a good person. And that's good.

Swedishfish: Yeah, well. I try. That's the best I can do, isn't it?

AnimalsNotPeople: Yeah. So, what are you up to? Anything fun?

Swedishfish: Fun? What's that?

AnimalsNotPeople: Yeah. I feel like that a lot. But you'll be alright.

Swedishfish: I know. Eventually. Things will look up or something. But it doesn't really feel like it. Not at the moment.

AnimalsNotPeople: I know how that feels. But you're not alone. It might not be okay. But I'll be here.

Swedishfish: That's sweet of you. But I don't even properly know you.

AnimalsNotPeople: You know the side of me that most people don't know. You know me better than people I've known for years. Which scares me a little, but it's kind of nice. Being me. Because I trust you. I trust that you don't know. Kind of. I'm kind of scared you might eventually. And that you'll hate me. Like everyone else...  
Sorry. I'm anxious.

Swedishfish: It's alright. I couldn't hate you. I promise I won't. Even if I do ever learn who you are, I won't hate you. Who knows, I might even like you more.

AnimalsNotPeople: Okay, I have to go now, but if you need me, I'll be available for emergencies. Alright?

Swedishfish: Okay. I'll talk to you later.

 

Elliot minimized the application and tucked his phone into his pocket. He smiled a little, somehow he still was happy. It all seemed alright. Swedishfish would be okay. Or he'd come talk to him about it. Either was alright. So he went on with his day, boring and slow. His happiness was beginning to wear off.

Tyrell liked AnimalsNotPeople. He liked the way he saw the world. They had similar views on people. He'd promised himself he'd do this all honestly. That he would earn the right to know. But...he wasn't that patient. He hacked AnimalsNotPeople with more difficulty than he'd expected.

Oh. Well, that would explain the difficulty in hacking him. It was fucking Elliot Alderson. Tyrell laughed. He actually laughed. It wasn't even funny. It was just... Pure emotion. And he knew where Elliot lived. He hoped for all the world that Elliot wouldn't be freaked out, but he had to send him something.

When Elliot returned home, there was a package at his door. It was a cute package. It was all wrapped up with a bow and everything. He opened it when he got into his apartment and was confused at its contents. There were chocolates. Those really nice ones. But then there was a bag of Swedish Fish with a little heart drawn on with marker. Oh shit. Swedishfish. He knew who he was. Where he lived. And he sent him chocolates. Really nice chocolates.

Elliot was freaked out and touched at the same time. What should he do? He ignored it. He put those stupid really nice chocolates on his counter and he tried to forget them. But the next morning, he woke up to roses at his door. Roses. In every color of the rainbow. That was gay as fuck. But it was thoughtful and pretty and...fuck. 

He was freaked out and he was feeling loved and he didn't like the oxymoron feelings. He put the flowers in a pitcher of water and went about his day. Well, kind of. He might have been ignoring Swedishfish. He felt bad for doing so, but he was scared. He eventually gave in and checked his messages.

Swedishfish: It's later now.

Swedishfish: Things are better now.

Swedishfish: Where are you?

Swedishfish: I miss you.

Swedishfish: This is about me knowing, isn't it?

Swedishfish: I'm sorry Elliot. I just... I needed to know. Needed to know you were real.

Swedishfish: I don't want to hurt you or anything. I promise. I just want to send you nice things.

Swedishfish: Elliot?

AnimalsNotPeople: Who are you?

Swedishfish: Someone who wants to love you.

 

Elliot got a box the next day that had dog food and fancy pet shampoo and a special dog fur brush. He couldn't take this anymore. He didn't want to be pampered with material things. He wanted to be loved. 

Love that was based upon possessions was not real love. He didn't want these things. He didn't want to be bought. He wanted to be held and cuddled and make coffee in the morning and maybe those stupid kisses to the top of his head...

AnimalsNotPeople: Stop it. I don't want your things. I just want...

AnimalsNotPeople: You.

Swedishfish: I don't know how to do that, Elliot. I can't. I know how to buy things. I know how to be myself when I don't have to face up to my actions. I can't... I can't be there for you like that.

AnimalsNotPeople: We can learn together.

Swedishfish: Is that really something you want? Someone who hasn't been gentle in their entire life?

AnimalsNotPeople: I think you want to be gentle, you just don't know how. I don't know either. But we could try. Please?

Swedishfish: You don't like me in person.

AnimalsNotPeople: What? No I don't. How do you know? Why do you think that?

Swedishfish: Because we've met. And you... You probably hate me.

AnimalsNotPeople: I'll pretend I've never met you before this. Okay? This you that I know is the only you. The real you. Right?

Swedishfish: Yes. Yes, of course, Elliot. I'm sending you one more thing. 

Swedishfish: Don't hate me.

Elliot didn't reply. He was too nervous to. He didn't know what to expect. He was scared. It could be anything. Could be anyone. He took a deep breath when there was a knock at the door. He crept up to the door as if maybe it'd bite, but it didn't. 

He opened it and there was a box. It wasn't as flashy as the others. It was just a box. When he opened it, there was a big stuffed animal husky and a little card. It was signed Tyrell with a little heart. Oh. Oh shit. Tyrell Wellick. Oh. He turned it over and neatly scrawled across the paper were the words 'Don't hate me.'

AnimalsNotPeople: I don't.

AnimalsNotPeople: <3


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A happy ending.

Elliot cuddled with the stuffed animal husky from Tyrell often. It soothed him, somehow. It made him remember that someone loved him how he was. Depressed and sullen and pessimistic as he was, Tyrell still had managed to love him. 

Or at least...like him. And Tyrell had confided in him many times as well. He told him when he was mad, when he was feeling alone, when he hated the world and everything about it.

He'd named the husky Sam. He liked the name Sam. it was gender neutral, it was simple, there really wasn't any way to pronounce it wrong.

Okay, so maybe Elliot was a sap, and maybe he'd eaten the chocolates sparingly, and maybe he didn't eat the Swedish fish because he wanted to keep them as a memento. He was a loser, but he was a loser in love. 

He talked to Tyrell just as much, but he'd gotten his actual phone number, so they could really talk. As themselves. But they still hadn't met in person. They were still too nervous. 

At least, Elliot was. Tyrell was probably ready to meet him and take him to dinner and maybe even take him home.

 

You don't just want to take me home, right? EA

Elliot, if I just wanted to take someone home I would have gone to a bar. TW

Oh. Yeah. I guess. Okay. Sorry. EA

We don't even have to ever see each other again, if that's what you want. TW

No! That's not what I want. I just... I don't want to be just a toy to you. EA

Tell me what's going on. TW

I don't know. I don't feel great. I want to cuddle and make you coffee in the morning and kiss your designer haircut, but I don't want to be fucked into oblivion. EA

Do you really think I would have sex with you without your consent? TW

No. But I think you do want to have sex with me and I don't know if I am not one-night-stand material. EA

Elliot. Are you really nervous about having sex more than once? TW

Uh, yeah... EA

That's okay, Elliot. It's alright. We can cuddle and drink coffee and whatever else you want. It's okay to just do that. TW

Really? EA

Of course, Elliot. TW

Okay... EA

Do you want to have dinner with me? Tonight? Maybe six o'clock? TW

Yeah. Sure. Sounds great. EA

I'll see you then. TW

   
Elliot took a long shower, wanting to look his best for his dinner date, even if showers couldn't really change your appearance. 

He pulled on his nicest jeans and put on a black T-shirt. He then buttoned up a light blue short sleeved shirt over it. He wondered if wearing his hoodie was going to ruin it all, but he put it on anyway. It was cold.

Tyrell was there at six o'clock sharp to pick him up. He was dressed in business casual. His sleeves were rolled up, the top few buttons of his shirt were undone. It was light pink. A nice contrast to Elliot's light blue. 

When he knocked on Elliot's door, the man answered quickly running a hand over his hair. "Hello, Elliot." He smiled, bright and warm. He offered Elliot his hand and Elliot took it with only a moment's hesitatation.

Elliot closed his door on the way out and was pulled along by Tyrell. "Where are we going?" Elliot asked. 

"It's a surprise. But don't worry. It's a good one. I think." Tyrell smiled a little and opened the passenger door to his sleek silver car. Elliot got in and Tyrell shut the door gently before going around the car and getting in on the driver side. 

He started the car and began to drive. "So, you know how to drive. And you have a car." Elliot stated. 

Tyrell laughed softly. "Yeah. I needed to be able to get around independently. Plus, I like the freedom."

Elliot nodded. Control. Tyrell liked control. It made sense. "Is this surprise far away?" Elliot asked, glancing over at Tyrell. 

"Not too far, no." Tyrell replied. They drove for a while in peaceful silence, Elliot watching out the window and trying to guess where they were going, and Tyrell focusing on the road. Eventually, though, he pulled over. 

"Where are we?" Elliot asked. "Washington Square Park." Tyrell answered. 

"Why?" Elliot asked with a slight furrow of his brow.

Tyrell smiled. "You'll see." He got out of the car and opened the back door. He got out a picnic basket and a blanket before closing the door again. Elliot got out of the car and smiled a little when he joined Tyrell's side. 

Tyrell led the way to a nice soft patch of grass and set the basket down. With a flourish, Tyrell whipped the blanket out in the air and watched it settle down perfectly onto the grass. 

Elliot let out a soft snort, but it was a snort of fondness. He sat down on the blanket and Tyrell settled down next to him with the basket.

Tyrell unpacked the basket, pulling out pinwheel sandwiches, grapes, some champagne, and two glasses. "Champagne?" Elliot asked, tilting his head a little. Tyrell frowned a little. 

"Is that not good?" He asked, not quite sure what the problem was. "I don't know. It's just...strange, is all." Elliot said, eating a few grapes. "All of this is, actually. I've never done this before." He admitted. 

"So is this a good surprise, then?" Tyrell asked and Elliot nodded with a smile. "Yeah. Definitely."

Tyrell offered him a pinwheel sandwich and Elliot ate it slowly. "This is really good. Where did you get these?" He asked and Tyrell beamed. 

"I made them." He said proudly. 

"You did a really good job." He finished one and started on another. Tyrell poured them both a glass of champagne and handed one to Elliot. 

"What shall we toast to?" He asked. 

"Um, I don't know. To love or something? Is that too cheesy?" Elliot asked. 

Tyrell raised his glass slightly. "It's perfect. To love." Elliot touched his glass to Tyrell's. 

"To love." He sipped at it a little before he finished his sandwich. 

"Look at all the people. All these people are trying to matter in this world. All these people have lives and people who need them, people who hate them, they are their own little universe. We are no exceptions. But our universes have overlapped. They are intertwined. There is a little bit of you affected by me, and a little bit of me affected by you." Tyrell said softly as he ate grapes lazily. "It's strange, isn't it?"

Elliot looked at all the people and then finally just looked at Tyrell. He took in his hair, his eyes, his lips, his skin that was visible thanks to the undone buttons, his forearms. 

Tyrell was very beautiful. And he was affected by him. But it also worked the other way around. It was so strange to think about. Tyrell brought a hand up to caress Elliot's cheek as he looked into his eyes. 

"You are gorgeous, Elliot." He said gently and Elliot leaned into the hand, looking back into Tyrell's eyes. 

"I um..." Elliot didn't really know what he was going to say, but he was very happy when his lips were met with the incredibly soft lips of Tyrell. His eyes fell closed and he just relaxed into the kiss. 

This was nice. Talking and eating and gentle touches and now their first kiss. These were good things. It was perfect. When they broke apart, Elliot smiled a little. 

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm really happy for online dating." He breathed. "So am I." Tyrell agreed.


End file.
